Plastic container

ABSTRACT

A plastic container includes a molded multi-layered structure defining an inner space therein and including a first molded layer surrounding the inner space and having an outer surface and an outer protrusion protruding outwardly from the outer surface, and a second molded layer surrounding and covering the outer surface of the first molded layer and formed with an outer through-hole. The outer protrusion of the first molded layer fills and seals the outer through-hole in the second molded layer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a container, more particularly to a plasticcontainer having a molded multi-layered structure.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional plastic containers made from melamine normally have onlyone color and a simple structure. As a consequence, the conventionalplastic containers are not attractive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a containerthat can overcome the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art.

A plastic container according to the present invention comprises amolded multi-layered structure defining an inner space therein andincluding a first molded layer surrounding the inner space and having anouter surface and an outer protrusion protruding outwardly from theouter surface, and a second molded layer surrounding and covering theouter surface of the first molded layer and formed with an outerthrough-hole. The outer protrusion of the first molded layer fills andseals the outer through-hole in the second molded layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of aplastic container according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the first preferredembodiment;

FIG. 3 is an assembled sectional view of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of aplastic container according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the secondpreferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an assembled sectional view of the second preferredembodiment;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the third preferredembodiment of a plastic container according to the present invention;and

FIG. 8 is an assembled sectional view of the third preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail withreference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be notedhere in that like elements are denoted by the same reference numeralsthroughout the disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the first preferred embodiment of aplastic container according to the present invention is shown toinclude: a molded multi-layered structure 10 defining an inner space 5therein and including a first molded layer 3 surrounding the inner space5 and having an outer surface 31 and at least one outer protrusion 32protruding outwardly from the outer surface 31, and a second moldedlayer 2 surrounding and covering the outer surface 31 of the firstmolded layer 3 and formed with at least one outer through-hole 22. Theouter protrusion 32 of the first molded layer 3 fills and seals thecorresponding outer through-hole 22 in the second molded layer 2. Inthis embodiment, the plastic container is in the form of a cup, and ismade from melamine. The first and second molded layers 3, 2 aredifferent in color. However, the colors, the shape, and the materialsfor the plastic container are not limited to what is disclosed herein.

In this embodiment, the molded multi-layered structure 10 furtherincludes a third molded layer 4 surrounding the inner space 5, having anouter surface 41, and formed with at least one inner through-hole 42.The first molded layer 3 surrounds and covers the outer surface 41 ofthe third molded layer 4, and further has an inner surface 30 oppositeto the outer surface 31, and at least one inner protrusion 33 thatprotrudes inwardly from the inner surface 30 and that fills and sealsthe corresponding inner through-hole 42 in the third molded layer 4.

In this embodiment, the outer and inner through-holes 22, 32, the outerprotrusion 32, and the inner protrusion 33 have a flower shape, and theouter and inner through-holes 22, 42 are formed by male dies of themold. The color of the third molded layer 4 is different from those ofthe first and second molded layers 3, 2.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the second preferred embodiment of aplastic container according to this invention differs from the previousembodiment in that the third molded layer 4 has a core protrusion 43that protrudes outwardly from the outer surface 41 of the third moldedlayer 4, and that the first molded layer 3 is further formed with a corethrough-hole 34 extending from the inner surface 30 of the first moldedlayer 3 through the outer protrusion 32. The core protrusion 43 of thethird molded layer 4 fills and seals the core through-hole 34 in thefirst molded layer 3, and preferably has a color different from that ofthe outer protrusion 32. As such, the outer protrusion 32 and the coreprotrusion 43 cooperatively resemble a figure of a flower. Note that theinner protrusion 33 and the inner through-hole 42 included in theprevious embodiment are dispensed with in this embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the third preferred embodiment of a plasticcontainer according to this invention differs from the first preferredembodiment in that the third molded layer 4 further has an outerprotrusion 45 that protrudes outwardly from the outer surface 41 of thethird molded layer 4, that the first molded layer 3 is formed with afirst through-hole 34, and that the second molded layer 2 is furtherformed with a second through-hole 24 that is aligned with the firstthrough-hole 34 in the first molded layer 3. The outer protrusion 44 ofthe third molded layer 4 fills and seals the first through-hole 34 inthe first molded layer 3 and the second through-hole 24 in the secondmolded layer 2. The outer protrusions 32, 45 of the first and thirdmolded layers 3, 4 are different in color so as to form the plasticcontainer with an appearance having figures of different coloredflowers.

With the multi-layered structure 10 of the plastic container of thisinvention, the appearance of the plastic container can be considerablyenhanced.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

1. A plastic container comprising: a molded multi-layered structuredefining an inner space therein and including a first molded layersurrounding said inner space and having an outer surface and an outerprotrusion protruding outwardly from said outer surface, and a secondmolded layer surrounding and covering said outer surface of said firstmolded layer and formed with an outer through-hole; wherein said outerprotrusion of said first molded layer fills and seals said outerthrough-hole in said second molded layer.
 2. The plastic container asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said molded multi-layered structure furtherincludes a third molded layer surrounding said inner space, having anouter surface, and formed with an inner through-hole, said first moldedlayer surrounding and covering said outer surface of said third moldedlayer and further having an inner surface opposite to said outersurface, and an inner protrusion that protrudes inwardly from said innersurface and that fills and seals said inner through-hole in said thirdmolded layer.
 3. The plastic container as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid molded multi-layered structure further includes a third moldedlayer surrounding said inner space and having an outer surface and acore protrusion that protrudes outwardly from said outer surface of saidthird molded layer, said first molded layer further having an innersurface opposite to said outer surface of said first molded layer andbeing formed with a core through-hole extending from said inner surfaceof said first molded layer through said outer protrusion, said coreprotrusion of said third molded layer filling and sealing said corethrough-hole in said first molded layer.
 4. The plastic container asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said molded multi-layered structure furtherincludes a third molded layer surrounding said inner space and having anouter surface and an outer protrusion that protrudes outwardly from saidouter surface of said third molded layer, said first molded layer beingformed with a first through-hole, said second molded layer being furtherformed with a second through-hole that is aligned with said firstthrough-hole in said first molded layer, said outer protrusion of saidthird molded layer filling and sealing said first through-hole in saidfirst molded layer and said second through-hole in said second moldedlayer.
 5. The plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidfirst and second molded layers are different in color.